Frankie Swallow Young Scholar – October Blog

Frankie Swallow Young Scholar – October Blog

Wow wow wow, what a busy month it has been since my last blog! It has taken a while for me to gather my thoughts, to be able to reflect on all the things that have happened in the past 4 weeks!

Competing-wise, the horses have just been absolutely spectacular. Following on from Millstreet, a few weeks later I was back on a ferry with both boys, this time heading across the English Channel rather than the Irish Sea, making the journey to Military Waregem in Belgium!

This was to be my first ever continental event, and one I was especially excited for, because for the first time ever I had both horses entered into the same class; the short 3*. I feel so happy to have got Del up to 3* this season, considering that only 5 months ago we were going around 100, and having a stop at the first fence…

He has come on so much this season, and is continuing to improve so I’m really looking to forward to testing him next year! Waregem was an incredible event and unlike one I had ever been to before.

Based in the middle of a town, in hot and sunny weather, it was difficult not to enjoy every minute of the experience! Both horses were great, producing two pleasing tests, and both doing fantastic jumping rounds.

It’s so important for me to have them both on BEDMAX shavings when they go away to shows and are in a stable for a week, because the dust-free environment keeps them looking, sounding and feeling so healthy and really helps to boost the way they perform. The icing on the cake this month has certainly been completing my first Advanced with Darius at Little Downham.

I have many people to thank for helping reach this level of course, but BEDMAX has certainly been a key influence in helping to keep my horses in top form and allowing to continue up the levels!

I was lucky enough to go to Burghley this year with my trainer Ludwig Svennerstal, who had two horses competing in the 5*, one of which even finished 6th!

This was a great experience for me, as it allowed me access to the stables where all the top horses were spending their week, and made even more exciting by the fact that BEDMAX were the sponsor for the shavings!

It’s great that this company has such recognition that it is wanted to be used at one of the best horse shows in the world. Each stable had free bags of shavings in them, and I have to say all the horses looked very happy and comfortable in their BEDMAX beds. It was great to catch up with Barbara Huddart and Tim Smalley too, and to visit the BEDMAX stall.

On another note, I have now come back to Bristol University where I have just started my final year. It seems crazy to think that this part of my life is coming to an end, but I am so looking forward to beginning a new start and seeing where the rest of my life takes me!

This time of year also reminds of the application process for the BEDMAX Young Rider Scholarship. I have nothing but encouragement for this process, as it has taught, and still is, teaching me so much.

For anyone thinking of applying, do it. I never ever thought I would get picked as the Young Rider Scholar, but it just shows what you can achieve if you really want something. Regardless of whether you win the scholarship or not, the process is very fulfilling and is actually a great chance for you to realise your strengths, and teaches you to be able to talk about yourself in a positive way. To be frank, if you don’t enter, you won’t achieve anything, so get your entry in!